DOI To Designate Critical Habitat For Polar Bears

Law360, New York (October 7, 2008, 12:00 AM EDT) -- The U.S. Interior Department has agreed to designate “critical habitat” for polar bears before June 2010, as part of a partial settlement reached Monday with conservation groups who allege oil development threatens the species.

The deal, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, also requires the agency to issue guidelines by March 2010 for deterring polar bears without killing them.

Monday's settlement dismisses only two of seven claims filed by The Center For Biological Diversity, the Natural Resources Defense Counsel and...